FCS, Sam Houston have Aggies' attention

COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M and Sam Houston State are separated by about 50 miles of country road, with an enrollment differential of 32,000 students.

But as College Station grows east and Huntsville grows west, the physical gap between the two is closing — and some would argue so is the football divide. That's why, even as top-ranked Alabama (off this week) already is prepping for its Sept. 14 showdown with No. 7 A&M at Kyle Field, the Aggies vow their sole focus is Sam Houston.

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The Aggies own eight examples of exactly why from last week, when that many programs from the Football Championship Subdivision toppled teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision. Most notably, two-time defending FCS national champion North Dakota State knocked off Kansas State 24-21 in Manhattan, Kan., and FCS power Eastern Washington defeated then-No. 25 Oregon State 49-46 in Corvallis, Ore.

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Sam Houston State (1-0) at (7) Texas A&M (1-0)

Kickoff: 6 p.m., Kyle Field, College Station

TV/radio: PPV, KTSA-AM 550

Line: No line

Series: A&M leads 11-0

Key matchup: A&M's defensive front seven vs. Sam Houston RB Tim Flanders. The two-time Southland Conference player of the year holds 34 school records. The Aggies welcome defensive tackle Kirby Ennis back from suspension, but are still missing key LB Steven Jenkins because of a two-game suspension. Rice rushed for 306 yards against a porous A&M front a week ago.

Key players: A&M likely will play Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel close to three quarters (if the game is a blowout), considering the QB is still shaking the rust after playing only the second half against Rice because of suspension. Brian Bell is the Bearkats' all-time winningest QB with 31 career victories, and he's also thrown a school record 54 TD passes.

Keys for A&M: The Aggies need a fast start behind Manziel to calm the growing fears about top-ranked Alabama rolling into town next week. Rice led A&M 14-7 after a quarter a week ago, before the Aggies prevailed 52-31.

Numbers: A&M hasn't lost a home game to a nonconference in-state foe since 1954 (Texas Tech of the Border Conference against Bear Bryant's Aggies). ... A&M sophomore Drew Kaser's 76-yard punt against Rice marked the sixth longest in school history. ... Flanders is third on the SLC's all-time the SLC's third all-time leading rusher with 4,285 yards. ... A&M and SHSU first met in 1919.

Brent Zwerneman

“They're well-coached,” A&M's Kevin Sumlin said of Sam Houston, ranked fourth in the FCS. “And did anybody watch North Dakota State last week? That'll get your attention in a hurry.”

Last November A&M defeated Sam Houston 47-28 at Kyle Field, a contest the Aggies led 34-0 at halftime. The game got even more out of hand in the third quarter at 47-7, before the Bearkats tacked on three fourth-quarter touchdowns.

“Last year our first team played well, and the second guys lost that second half, in my opinion,” Sumlin said. “Willie Fritz is a heck of a coach, and Sam Houston has had back-to-back (FCS) national championship appearances. They're not going to be intimidated coming in here, just like they weren't last year.”

The Aggies welcome the Crimson Tide in one week in college football's most hyped game of the early season, but between now and then they'll rely on a handful of the “second-teamers” Sumlin referenced against Sam Houston. Starting linebacker Steven Jenkins and starting cornerback De'Vante Harris are out for a second consecutive game because of suspensions. Starting cornerback Deshazor Everett, who was suspended the first half of last week's game, was ejected in the same game in the second half because of the new “targeting” rules, and must sit out the first half Saturday.

“It's the (new) world we live in,” A&M defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said of dealing with the updated targeting rules designed, ideally, to lessen contact to the head. “We've told the kids, 'Like it or not, those are the rules.' We've talked about lowering your target and (using) your arms. If you do that, you won't get those penalties.”

Colleges

The good news for A&M is the return of senior defensive tackle Kirby Ennis, who should help clog a thin middle that allowed Rice 306 rushing yards (of the Owls' 509 total) last Saturday. The Bearkats rushed for 365 yards against Houston Baptist in the Huskies' first football game a week ago.

Sam Houston has played 29 FBS opponents since 1986, all on the road, and won three times: Louisiana-Lafayette in 1999; Louisiana-Monroe in 2001; and New Mexico last year. Bearkats cornerback Bookie Sneed told the Houstonian, Sam Houston's student paper, that the defense has taken part in plenty of scrambling drills in preparing for fleet A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner.